Kansas Water Authority Regional Advisory Committee Membership Drive

Be a Vital Voice for Kansas Water Resources

 

For more than 30 years, citizen advisors have been a vital voice for water resource issues in Kansas. The Kansas Water Office is currently accepting applications from those who would like to participate as a member of one of the 14 Regional Advisory Committees (RACs) which are established by the Kansas Water Authority (KWA).

 

These committees play a key role in advising the KWA on implementation of each region’s water supply priorities as part of the Kansas Water Vision and the Kansas water planning process as a whole. Regional advisory members will have the opportunity to evaluate the past five years of the Vision implementation and provide input and advice to the KWA for previously identified regional water resource-related goals and associated action plans.

 

In addition, members help identify and provide input on other emerging water resource related issues and concerns. They serve as important local links to the public in their regions through interactions with various groups and individuals as well as communicate information on concerns and issues to citizens in their respective regions. The KWA, through the committee selection process, works to establish RACs which represent diverse groups of water users and interests within regions are represented.

 

Kansans can have a definite lasting impact on the future of water resources through RAC membership. Interested persons can apply at www.kwo.ks.gov. The application deadline is May 31, 2019.

 

 

Note to Editor: The Americans with Disabilities Act, (42 U.S.C. 12101) requires the Kansas Water Office to print the reasonable accommodations messages.

 

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As the state’s water office, KWO conducts water planning, policy coordination and water marketing as well as facilitates public input throughout the state.

 

The agency prepares the KANSAS WATER PLAN, a plan for water resources development, management and conservation.

 

 

Katie Patterson-Ingels Communications Director Kansas Water Office 785-296-3185 900 SW Jackson Street, Ste. 404 Topeka, KS 66612 www.kwo.ks.gov

Governor Kelly’s first 100 days rebuilding Kansas
Outlines accomplishments, addresses the unfinished business of Medicaid Expansion

One hundred days into her tenure as the 48^th Governor of Kansas, Laura Kelly is reflecting on her accomplishments, highlighting successes and addressing the unfinished business of passing Medicaid expansion.

“When I gave my inaugural address on January 14, I stood in front of three banners with the words: equality, education and opportunity,” Kelly said. “These are the principles that have guided my first 100 days in office. And they are the principles that will guide us as we work to invest in our future and grow our economy. ”

In addition to the accomplishments outlined below, Kelly followed through on her promise to appoint a highly-qualified, bipartisan cabinet of Kansas leaders focused on rebuilding state agencies decimated by previous administrations.

 

“I was elected to rebuild Kansas and we’re already making progress,” Kelly said. “My team has increased transparency and accountability in our government and restored responsible, commonsense leadership that addresses the priorities of Kansas families.”

Kelly has taken significant steps towards stabilizing the state’s budget and investing in key priorities, like schools and roads. However, one critical issue is left unfinished: Medicaid expansion. In her fifteenth consecutive Kansan to Kansan weekly video, shared on Facebook earlier today, she called on Senate leadership to stop blocking progress on Medicaid expansion.

“We’re halfway there – but that’s not good enough. When the legislature returns on May 1^st, they need to vote on Medicaid expansion,” Kelly said. “Over 77 percent of Kansans want expansion to happen. The Senate President and Majority Leader need to stop playing games with taxpayers’ health care and get it done. Two of my biggest town halls were in their districts and the response was overwhelming and undeniably in favor of expansion. Kansans are counting on us.”

100 days rebuilding Kansas

Day 1:
On her first full day in office, Governor Kelly signed Executive Order 19-02, reinstating protections to state employees who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

Day 4:
Kelly submitted a balanced budget to the Kansas Legislature nearly three weeks ahead of schedule; a budget that paid down debt, invested in key priorities like schools, highways and Medicaid expansion, and provided the state with the largest ending balance in twenty years – all without a tax increase.

Day 15:
Kelly introduced a bipartisan plan to expand Medicaid on Kansas Day.

Day 32:
Kelly joined Secretary of Transportation Julie Lorenz in announcing plans to invest $160 million in Kansas’ transportation system, as part of the Governor’s FY 2020 budget. This included four new projects from the T-Works program.

Day 39:
Lt. Governor Lynn Rogers launched the Rural Healthcare Tour, as part of building the Office of Rural Prosperity. As of today, he has visited seventeen communities across Kansas: Emporia, Marysville, Garden City, Hutchinson, McPherson, Dodge City, Hays, Russell, Ottawa, El Dorado, Council Grove, Goodland, Abilene, Leavenworth, Junction City, Chanute and Pittsburg.

Day 42:
Kelly announced new transparency initiatives at the Department for Children and Families, designed to improve the agency’s efforts to locate children who are absent or have run away.

Day 53:
Kelly signs Senate Bill 9 which repaid $115 million debt to our state retirement system.

Day 82:
Kelly squarely established herself as the ‘education governor’ by signing a bipartisan school funding plan into law. The education plan, if approved by the Kansas Supreme Court, could bring an end to decades of legislative debates and legal challenges surrounding education funding. This followed the signing of Executive Order 19-03 in January, establishing the Governor’s Council on Education and the restoration of the previous administration’s cuts to the Children’s Initiatives Fund.

Day 85:
Kelly completed four town hall discussions during the 2019 legislative session. In total, over 15,000 Kansans attended these town halls in-person or online via Facebook live.

Day 99:
Kelly signed Executive Order 19-07, establishing the Kansas Complete Count Committee, in support of a statewide strategy that ensures every Kansan is counted in the upcoming census. The data collected in the census will inform how the federal government distributed much-needed funding for Kansas roads, schools, hospitals, emergency services and much more.

Day 100:
As of this day, Kelly has signed over 100 proclamations and her constituent services team has opened nearly 2,000 cases on behalf of hardworking Kansans. Of those opened cases, 1,800 have been closed.

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Governor signs bill increasing funding of child welfare services in Kansas
Aligns state requirements with federal Family First Prevention Services Act

Governor Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2103 today, injecting millions into Kansas programs that strengthen vulnerable children and families. This bill amends the revised Kansas Code for the Care of Children and enacts statutory provisions enabling Kansas to meet the requirements of the federal Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA).

 

“In the last few years, nothing has frustrated me more than the callous disregard some agency leaders demonstrated towards our vulnerable children and their families,” Kelly said. “This legislation will help to rebuild the Department for Children and Families and provide critical funding for programs aimed at strengthening families and keeping children safe.”

 

House Bill 2103 allows for an enhanced federal match rate for certain child welfare system evidence-based prevention services and programs beginning October 1, 2019. The bill defines a qualified residential treatment program (QRTP), establishes notice and hearing requirements when a child is placed in a QRTP, requires certain action a court must take when QRTP placement occurs, and places additional documentation requirements on the court in a permanency hearing involving a child placed in QRTP.

 

“The Department for Children and Families has already begun to connect with community partners across the state to kick off our Family First initiatives,” said DCF Secretary Laura Howard. “The additional federal funds along with these valued partnerships will allow us to introduce evidence-based practices throughout the state that will keep families together and children safe.”

 

Further, the bill amends the definition of a secure facility and requires a child in need of care petition to have an attached copy of any existing prevention plan for a child. The bill takes effect upon publication in the Kansas Register.

 

The governor signed ten additional bills today, bringing the total number of bills signed in the 2019 Legislative Session to 53, with one being vetoed. By law, the Kansas governor has 10 calendar days to sign bills into law, veto bills or allow bills to become law without her signature.

 

House Bill 2007
Amends requirements for tolled projects of the Kansas Turnpike Authority and the Secretary of Transportation. This was a recommendation of the Joint Legislative Transportation Vision Task Force. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.

 

House Bill 2031
Revises the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) as it pertains to the Kansas Police and Firemen’s Plan (KP&F) and provisions relating to working after retirement, membership eligibility, and the administration of KPERS. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.

 

House Bill 2038
Creates law within the Kansas Probate Code providing for the automatic revocation of certain inheritance rights of a former spouse or former spouse’s relatives upon divorce. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.

 

House Bill 2039
Amends the Charitable Organizations and Solicitations Act to exempt from its registration requirement any charitable organization that is an animal shelter licensed pursuant to the Kansas Pet Animal Act. The bill also creates and amends law related to limited liability companies in the Kansas Revised Limited Liability Company Act, Business Entity Standard Treatment Act, and other statutes. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.

 

House Bill 2087
Amends the definition of “school bus” in the Motor‐Fuel Tax Law to remove a requirement that the vehicle be designed for carrying more than ten passengers and to remove use for the transportation of school personnel. The bill retains in the definition that a school bus be any motor vehicle used by a school district or nonpublic school to transport pupils or students to or from school or to or from school-related functions or activities; the vehicle may be owned and operated by the school district or privately-owned and contracted for, leased, or hired by a school district or nonpublic school. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.

 

House Bill 2177
Amends the Insurance Code to permit life insurance companies that offer fixed index annuities to utilize an alternative methodology when accounting for certain reserves; amends the effective date specified for risk‐based capital instructions; amends registration requirements in the Insurance Holding Company Act related to a filing exemption for enterprise risk  reports; and amends provisions governing fraudulent insurance acts and associated criminal penalty provisions. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.

 

House Bill 2126
Amends law restricting access to motor vehicle records. The bill removes from state law certain purposes for which state motor vehicle records may be released, but also authorizes release for any purpose not listed in Kansas law that is permissible under the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act as it existed on January 1, 2018. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.

 

House Bill 2119
Amends the Pharmacy Act of the State of Kansas to require certain prescription orders be transmitted electronically and to permit a licensed pharmacist to administer a drug by injection in certain situations. The bill also allows a business entity issued a certificate of authorization by the Board of Healing Arts (BOHA) to employ or contract with one or more licensees of BOHA for the purpose of providing professional services for which such licensees hold a valid license issued by BOHA. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.

 

Senate Substitute for House Bill 2214

Adds passenger vehicle registration categories and establishes fees for those categories: $100 for all‐electric vehicles and $50 for motor vehicles that are electric hybrid or plug‐in electric hybrid vehicles. This was also a recommendation of the Joint Legislative Transportation Vision Task Force. It will be effective on and after January 1, 2020. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.

 

Senate Substitute for House Bill 2225

Increases fees for certain permits authorizing oversize or overweight vehicles to operate on designated routes and requires registration of escort vehicle companies. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.

 

Correction: The Armstrong Highway/Gilbertson Bridge bill number is HB 2070, not HB 2040, as published in the April 17 press release.